Government impersonation calls run on fear. The scammer wears the authority of the IRS, Social Security, or the police, and pushes you to act before you can think. Knowing two facts defuses the whole thing: your Social Security number cannot be suspended, and the IRS never opens with a phone threat.
How this scam works
A recording claims your Social Security number was linked to a crime and will be suspended, or that the IRS has a warrant for unpaid taxes. You are told to press a key.
A stern agent reads you a badge number and case number to sound official, and warns you not to hang up or tell anyone.
They keep you on the line, sometimes for hours, building panic about arrest, deportation, or frozen accounts.
They demand payment to clear your name, increasingly by gift card, wire, or by feeding cash into a Bitcoin ATM.
In 2025 and 2026 many of these calls add AI cloned voices to impersonate officials or a panicked family member.
What it sounds like
Agent: This is Officer Miller, badge 4471, with the Social Security Administration. Your number is suspended due to suspicious activity. Do not hang up or a warrant will be issued.
You: Hang up. Your SSN cannot be suspended and no agency arrests you by phone.
Red flags
- A threat of immediate arrest, deportation, or a suspended Social Security number.
- Being told to stay on the line and keep it secret.
- Payment demanded by gift card, wire, cryptocurrency, or a Bitcoin ATM.
- Caller ID showing a real government number. It can be spoofed.
What to do
- Hang up. Do not press any keys and do not call back the number.
- If unsure whether a tax matter is real, contact the IRS directly at a number from irs.gov, not from the call.
- Report IRS impersonation to TIGTA at tigta.gov and Social Security scams to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov.
How to report this scam
See the full reporting guide for every US agency and what each one handles.
Watch it happen
Frequently asked questions
Can your Social Security number really be suspended?
No. Social Security numbers are never suspended. Any call claiming yours is suspended is a scam.
Will the IRS call and threaten arrest?
No. The IRS makes first contact by mail, gives you the right to appeal, and never demands immediate payment by gift card or crypto or threatens to send police.
What is a digital arrest scam?
It is a version where callers impersonate police or agencies, sometimes over video with AI generated faces and voices, and pressure you to pay to avoid a fake arrest. It is especially common in India and is spreading.
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